Attack on Women's Wall exposed BJP's intolerance: LDF

KANNUR: The LDF in Kasaragod district alleged that the BJP has lost its presence of mind on seeing a huge turnout of women for the Women's Wall that was organized across the state on Tuesday. It said that the brutal attack unleashed against those participating in the Wall in the district was the result of this intolerance.

The Wall was organized in such a manner that no other organization could ever imagine. When the campaign of lies by the Sangh Parivar failed to evoke any response, they unleashed the attack against the female participants of the Wall, said LDF district convener and CPM leader K P Satheesh Chandran addressing a press conference in Kasaragod on Wednesday. He said at least 27 people, including 15 women, four media professionals, four police personnel and four LDF workers suffered injuries in the attack and this should be condemned.

The injuries of two women are serious and they have been admitted to a Mangaluru hospital while others are undergoing treatment in Kasaragod. The Wall came under attack mainly at Chettukundu, Kuthirappadi, Thattummal and Kattumadam. At Chettukundu, a BJP stronghold, the Sangh Parivar activists attacked the women, media crew and even the police personnel, said the LDF.

The hooligans threw chilli powder at the women and then set afire the dry grass between the railway track and the National Highway along which the Wall passed, apart from pelting stones and exploding bombs, Chandran alleged.

Many buses and vehicles also came under attack, the LDF said, adding that the BJP leadership had openly threatened the people against participating in the Wall. In this backdrop, legal action should be taken against those who unleashed the attack and also against the district leadership of the BJP, the LDF district committee demanded.

It was when the women assembled for the Wall in the afternoon at Chettukundu that they came under the attack. When things went out of control, police resorted to lathicharge and also used grenades and even rubber bullets to disperse the crowd. Though the police officially said four police personnel were injured, the actual numbers are much high as there was incessant stone pelting, said police sources.

Police have registered six different cases against nearly 500 people in connection with the attacks. Nearly 25 are identifiable and they have been named in the FIR, said police.

However, the BJP claimed the party has no role in the attack and alleged that the CPM scripted it to hide the failure of the Wall in many places. The party also condemned the attack on the media.